TWO teenagers living a stone's throw away from each other have both just been called up to play for England.

Coincidences between Paul Hopkins and Chantelle Parry are quite incredible as their lives have followed similar patterns.

Both youngsters live on the same Walton Park estate and attended Northcote Junior and Alsop High School together.

They began playing football for their primary schools when in year three and have developed into strikers with a good eye for goal. Eventually, they both proved good enough to play for Everton. Amazingly, both were then selected to play for England.

Hopkins, 17, impressed when he came on as a substitute, joining Everton team mate Lawrence Wilson and Liverpool's Lee Peltier for the last 20 minutes of EWngland under-18s' 1-0 win over Belgium at Northampton Town.

The striker caught the eye of the selectors after some excellent performances for the Everton Academy Under-17s, netting 14 goals and Everton Reserves.

His early goalscoring exploits were highlighted when he banged home six successive hattricks for Liverpool schoolboys - a record previously held by Robbie Fowler who managed three.

But Hopkins was keen to put the record straight.

"Actually it was nine successive hat-tricks. But because the others were in friendly games they weren't allowed to count towards the new record."

Parry, 16-year-old Merseyside Schools Girls captain, made her debut for England under-17s at a home international tournament in Ireland to crown a highly success-ful season.

And on Monday she celebrated skippering the Merseyside team to victory over Norfolk in the under- 16 Inter County final at Gigg Lane.

"I think they made me captain because I have the biggest mouth!" she laughed.

Joining Parry, who has since broken into the Everton Ladies team, were Danielle Hill (16), the Notre Dame, Merseyside Girls and Everton keeper and experienced striker Karen Boyle.